News

Are your fleet’s operations prepared for disaster?

by
Charlotte Freed
| Nov 21, 2018

Think of a disaster that could derail your business. What comes to mind: a hurricane? Wildfire? Legal battle? Tech failure? Maybe losing candidates to a competitor or not finding enough drivers to fulfill your demands? Each business may consider different events as a course-altering disaster, but whatever the event, half of the businesses that encounter one cease to operate after a major issue.

What can you do to prepare for continued business even if effected by a disaster? Logical Management Systems Corp’s Geary Sikich covered the ways to establish a procedure during a NationaLease meeting, urging every business owner to have a plan for when disaster hits.

Sikich says when you begin planning, ask yourself:

What is your business committed to?

How will we fulfill these commitments?

Do we have an organization that serves our needs?

How will we manage resources?

What skills do we expect from our organization?

How are we improving authority, decision-making, workflow and information sharing?

Rather than expecting the worst but hoping for the best, Sikich recommends proactive decisions and processes that can help during disruptive events.

Prepare for low-probability events

Value global connections

Expect that you will encounter issues

Accept that risks exist

View “near misses” as areas to improve on and address

Think of longevity rather than short-term when it comes to costs

When conducting a risk assessment, think not only of the risk probability and how it will impact the business, but of the speed at which the risk can affect operations. Consider a hurricane: how quickly would loss of revenue or productivity due to damage impact the bottom line? Or think of a lawsuit - how could time, money, and energy spent in court or with a lawyer disrupt your business? Work these scenarios into your strategy and determine whether your plan addresses the aftermath of the disaster. By considering all aspects of risk, you’ll be much more prepared to handle issues holistically.